


Like A Dog With A Newfound Bone

by Chechilia



Series: The Ones With The Weddings [3]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Dogs, First Meetings, M/M, Pre-Slash, Running
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-27
Updated: 2018-02-27
Packaged: 2019-03-24 19:39:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,989
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13818063
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chechilia/pseuds/Chechilia
Summary: Just like every day, Arthur is out enjoying his morning run, following the path on the hills bordering Camelot. Enters Merlin, fellow runner, new to the city, who happens to be followed by a raging hellhound. Or so it seems.





	Like A Dog With A Newfound Bone

**Author's Note:**

> Finally ! An idea that's been nipping at my heels for a while. Hope you'll like how it turned out <3\. Enjoy !

The sun was slowly rising behind the soft hills mapping the outside of Camelot, its first rays timidly coloring Arthur Pendragon's hair in hues of gold, just as he entered the protected area to start his morning run. As per usual, he jogged a bit to warm up, carefully stretching his muscles as to avoid any incapacitating injury. He had pulled a muscle once, and nearly gone mad with the lack of exercise afterwards.

He started lightly, his body responding perfectly to every command, his breathing steady. His heart was beating at an appropriate rate for someone who ran at least five miles on a daily basis, and Arthur was pleased to find that he was able to accelerate without disturbing the rhythm of his lungs. Soon enough, his body was covered in sweat, energy burning inside him as he pushed himself to run faster, the path stretching in front of him a sweet promise of accomplishment.

High trees were looming over him, their roots occasionally laying out of earth like lazy snakes basking in sunlight. The upturned soil was betraying the nosy search of a boar for acorns or the rare truffle, the lucky mushroom well hidden behind pine cones and needles. Yet the path was perfectly clear, large enough for five people to run comfortably side by side - which never happened, since Arthur considered his morning run an utterly personal affair - the trail a blessing so close to a huge city like Camelot.

Not for the first time, Arthur wondered if he would have liked better to live in a small village somewhere, where everyone knew everyone and huge corporations like his father's were disregarded in favor of small businesses - ones that could provide a better life for farmers and other country workers. And, just like every time, he shrugged off the question before he could come up with an answer, worrying that it wouldn't be the one he'd sought.

The sun was filtering through bushes and branches, bypassing rocks and small cliffs to light up the delicate lines of a spider web, the hairy animal waiting patiently on some leaves for the insect that would have the unfortunate luck to become its first meal of the day. Arthur blinked when a stray beam hit his fragile blue eyes, grunting in exertion as he berated himself for having forgotten his sunglasses again.

Slowing his pace a little, he grabbed the fancy colored bottle of water he kept at all times around his waist, carefully swallowing a mouthful as to not choke on the liquid. He had a feeling that death by water during a run would be most undignified, and he cringed to think about the words his sister would no doubt deliver on his grave.

 _He was a good man. Kind and loyal. His death is one of the saddest things...Scratch that. He died drinking water because he was too stupid to stop running. He was a moron. Dearly loved though._ Thanks Morgana.

Rolling his eyes at the gloating voice in his head, Arthur picked up his pace again, his breathing a bit more labored now that he was reaching the end of the slope he'd been practically climbing for the past few minutes. He gingerly shook his head to prevent his damp fringe from falling before his eyes. Morgana had warned him that he should go see a hairdresser, or let her clip his hair herself - the witch - but he'd postponed it, quite liking the way his blond hair framed his forehead and softened the sharp lines of his jaw and nose.

It wasn't exactly regret he was feeling now that his hair was plastered to his skin and his forehead dripping sweat, but he had to admit, in the privacy of his mind, that his sister might have had a point. Which never happened. Almost never. From time to time.

Alright, just enough to piss him off. Not that he'd ever admit it.

Wiping the sweat off his brow, Arthur let his lips stretch in a pleased smile as the right side of the path cleared to show an unabashed view of Camelot, the town still partially asleep as morning set off alarms and pre-programmed coffee machines. Leon, his long-time friend, often pleaded him to get some more sleep in the morning instead of going for a run, and grumbled easily when Arthur inadvertently startled him by stumbling on an ill-placed beer can, on the rare days they decided to have a sleepover at the Pendragon's house.

Studying business, as was his father wish, Arthur was preparing to take over the family company someday. Despite his sister being older than him, he was Uther Pendragon's designated heir ever since Morgana had firmly refused to take any part in the Pendragon's business. Not that she hated her father - though their regular fights might suggest otherwise - or wanted her brother to suffer through economic course, but she'd always been a make-your-own-way woman, which Arthur had always admired. Even when his sister openly gloated about it.

Inhaling deeply, Arthur let the cold air of the morning fill his lungs as he wished every thought of his family out of his head. His morning runs were made to relax, sweat a little to stay in shape, and clear his head - empty it would be more fitting a word. Thinking about Uther and Morgana would definitely put a damper on his fairly good mood, and the morning was too perfect to be wasted on such frivolous thoughts. His life was going on well - he had good friends in uni, his father had been agreeable lately and his sister less than annoying, and his girlfriend was being perfectly charming, though Arthur entertained no illusions that Sophia was more in love with him than with his bank account.

Except for the steady pounding of his feet on the ground, raising dust at every step, and the occasional chirping of a pouting bird angry at being woken up by some ungraceful runner at such ungodly hour, the would-be forest was eerily silent, calm and reassuring. It wasn't rare for Arthur to be alone for his entire run, since the path he was used to take was sometimes strenuous and as such wasn't favored by the recreational runner who was only looking for some quick exercise before a day at work. The early hour, too, was probably a deciding factor. Not that Arthur minded being alone - the quiet was actually quite refreshing after the hustle of the city, cars and buses already moving about for the first workers to reach their workplaces.

Lost in thoughts, Arthur almost didn't hear the footsteps of another runner closing in on him. Whoever it was was running fast, following the curve Arthur had just passed a minute earlier, and it didn't take long for the blond to realize that something was wrong as soon as he was able to hear the other runner's breathing.

For it wasn't steady, like any sane runner's should be, but rather ragged, breathless - the irony wasn't lost on Arthur - like that of a man running a marathon without having trained for it. Frowning, Arthur slowed his pace, focusing on the sounds behind him, and turned his head just in time to see a tall man emerge from behind the trees, running faster than he should if he wanted to avoid injuring himself. Lanky and muscled rather than scrawny, the man was wearing navy blue shorts and an ignominy of a bright neon shirt mixing orange and purple like it was its given right.

Arthur nearly scoffed at the sight but refrained himself when the man finally saw him, and even from where he was Arthur could see his eyes widen.

" Run ! "

Startled by the yelled exclamation, Arthur stopped running altogether, stunned by the panicked face staring right back at him. For a second, he thought he was dealing with a madman - the path he was following was downright deserted, he hadn't seen another human being in nearly an hour and the man surely didn't seem sane, what with the shirt and awful bowl cut and very unfortunate ears, poor man - until he heard a curious clicking sound, followed by a soft rumble. His eyes widened as realization dawned on him and he started scrambling backwards, heart thumping in anticipation.

" Don't you dare, " he growled. " Don't..."

" I SAID RUN ! "

Arthur cursed loudly as he followed the madman's order. The latter quickly caught up to him, forcing him to accelerate, and it's in unison that they leaped forward, running like hell itself was nipping at their heels.

" Woof ! "

" YOU BLOODY IDIOT, " Arthur yelled, close to panting now as he tried to slow his heart rate enough to avoid the looming heart attack. " What the fuck have you done to that poor beast ? "

" I haven't done anything ! " the other man rasped out, a frantic hand wiping the sweat from his brow - and from where he was, Arthur could see that despite the unfortunate bowl cut and the ears, the other man had quite attractive features, if one was into that : dark hair, full lips, high cheekbones. " This thing just looked at me and...ugh. "

The man had obviously been running for quite some time, judging by the sweat beading on his forehead or the darkish patches of color on his supposedly light shirt. Even more telling was his breathing, completely out of sync with his steps. Arthur was impressed : it wasn't everyone who could outrun a dog on its way to eat you.

The explanation to that came as he chanced a glance behind him and nearly stumbled :

" Why the hell are you even running, " he shouted, feeling a bit out of breath himself, " it's a bloody PUPPY ! "

" Woof ! "

The dog, a small thing with golden fur, was happily japing behind them, still too uncoordinated to figure out how to catch up with them, and easily distracted by one tree or another, veering off path for a few seconds at the time, giving the runner precious advance on their fearless predator.

" It's a terrifying beast ! " the dark-haired man yelled back. " Do you want to let it catch up to us ? Do you ? Promise I won't complain, at least it'd stop pursuing me ! "

His arms were flailing as he spoke, black locks plastered on his forehead, and he panted as he finished his tirade. He stumbled on a stray branch and would have fallen if Arthur hadn't steadied him, hauling him onward.

" You're not carrying any food ? " he asked, just to be sure.

" Who do you take me for ? " the other man groused, managing to look both annoyed and adorable at the same time. " If I had bacon, do you not think I would have thrown it at him the first chance I got ? "

" Fair enough, " Arthur replied, gulping down a mouthful of air. He hated running too fast.

They glanced behind them at the same time, dismayed to find the dog still on their heels.

" Any idea to save us from becoming dog food ? I don't really fancy my bones being buried behind a tree somewhere, to be nibbled at whenever that demonic beast fancies it. "

Arthur would have snorted if he had the air for it. He kept running instead, until an idea struck him :

" Here, " he panted, " follow me. "

They reached a small cliff Arthur remembered loving as a child, the rocks abrupt but relatively easy to climb. The ascension would put them out of the dog's reach, and there was a flat stone at the top that would be comfortable enough for the both of them to rest on until the dog went away or its owner did his job and called his pet back.

Arthur was the one to climb first, opening the way as he remembered it from his childhood, while the other man was following behind, utterly trusting but throwing worried looks both at the ground and at the tree the dog had disappeared behind, probably following a butterfly or getting tangled in a spider's web. Reaching the flat rock at the top, Arthur rolled over on his back, fighting to catch his breath as his sweat dampened the stone and the cold seeped into his shirt. He moved a bit, allowing his companion to imitate him, feet dangling above the edge as he took big gulps of air, breathing as if he'd thought he'd never have the chance again.

Quicker to recover, Arthur sat up and took hold of his water bottle, drinking a generous amount before handing it neglectfully to the other man, as he'd noticed earlier the other didn't have a bag of any sort, nor a bottle attached at his waist like Arthur.

" Help yourself, " he muttered. " God knows you look like you need it. "

He looked over the other man and nearly startled as the latter cracked an eye open, the deep blue reproachful and grateful all at once. The second feeling seemed to win as the brunet mumbled his thanks and drank a mouthful, no doubt wanting more but unsure as to whether or not he was allowed.

" Thanks for saving me, I guess, " he started once his breathing had settled. " If you hadn't been there, I wouldn't have thought to climb up here. That thing would have caught up eventually. "

" Good thing I was there then, " Arthur teased good-naturedly. " Please refrain from sprinting at me next time, though. If anyone had to be eaten alive, I'd rather it was you. "

" Hey ! " the other man exclaimed, shoving at him half-heartedly. " I'll have you know, I'm not labelled dog food. Beside, if the poor animal is hungry, you'd be a much better choice. For the muscles and all that. "

The amused twinkle in the man's eyes betrayed the jibe hidden in his words, and Arthur balefully looked down at himself :

" I'm not fat, " he pouted. " You stick. "

The other man laughed, the sound deep and rich as if startled from his chest as he threw his head back, revealing the pale column of his neck :

" No, definitely not fat, " he replied with humor. He seemed to hesitate a second. " I'm Merlin " he said finally, offering a hand. " I'd almost say it's nice to meet you. "

Arthur snorted, wiping his sweaty palm on his shorts before shaking the other man's hand :

" Arthur, " he introduced himself. " Glad to have been of help. "

Merlin, as was apparently his name, smiled brightly.

" Woof ! "

The mournful yapping pulled them both out of the conversation, and they straightened, throwing their legs over the edge to sit upright, shoulders brushing but not quite close. Looking down, they nearly laughed as the dog ran in small circles - it was a Labrador, Arthur thought, though probably very young - letting out soft grumbles and the occasional high-pitched bark.

" Well, " Arthur commented, " good thing we're stuck up here. I wouldn't want that beast near my shoes. Ever. "

Merlin chuckled at his remark, flashing Arthur a brief smile :

" I bet your shoes are all leather-y, " he teased, quirking an eyebrow.

" I beg your pardon ? " Arthur retorted.

" Posh shoes, " the brunet precised with a wide grin and a wave of his hand. " Worth half my wardrobe. "

Arthur could almost see his sister's bemused expression as he threw his head back and laughed whole-heartedly, rather than dwelling on the fact that he was obviously being mocked.

" I'll have you know they're very comfortable, " he replied with a hand above his heart and an exaggeratedly wounded pout. " You could sleep with those chose, see. "

Merlin was about to reply, a friendly jibe at the ready, when he was interrupted by a call coming from down the hill :

" Kill ! I told you to...dammit ! Kill ! "

Arthur and Merlin exchanged a bewildered glance, Arthur raising a hand to scratch an itch on an eyebrow as Merlin's mouth gaped a bit :

" Is he really ordering his dog to kill us ? " the brunet hissed, almost frantic in his choice of words.

Arthur shrugged, shifting a bit as he felt the cold of the stone bite at his arsecheeks :

" I don't..."

The blond swallowed once as he settled, and chance a look down as he tried again :

" Dog's name. I think. "

" Who in their right mind would name their dog Kill ? " Merlin replied, baffled and a little bit indignant at the prospect.

Arthur was saved from answering by the figure of an old man appearing between the trees, with a staff in one hand to help him walk and a leash made of thick rope in the other. He sighed in in relief when he saw the dog down the small cliff, who'd stopped running in circles in favor of sitting on its tail, eyes firmly trailed on the two men as his tongue dangled from his opened mouth.

" Killgharrah ! " The old man exclaimed. " Bad dog ! Naughty ! "

Arthur nearly laughed at that, bemused, but refrained himself at the last second, wondering if the owner would literally unleash his dog on them if he did. Merlin obviously didn't have such qualms, as he guffawed loudly, tears of mirth forming at the corners of his eyes :

" Now I understand why the poor dog was running, " he said in a staged whisper.

Arthur snorted at that, attracting the old man's attention on them :

" Well gentlemen, what are you doing up here ? "

He blinked owlishly a few times and the two men shared a cautious glance, which prompted a smile to flourish on the old man's lips :

" Oh, I see, I see, " he mused, rather kindly. " Don't let me keep you from such...amorous activities, then " he added, carefully snapping the leash back on the dog's collar. " I apologize if Killgharrah made you uncomfortable, he's still not well trained. Too young, you see. Bad Kill " he chided, looking down at his totally unapologetic dog. " Bad. You won't have any treats tonight. No. Bad dog. "

He raised his chin again, his features halfway between supportive uncle and encouraging madman :

" Well, gentlemen, it was lovely meeting you both, " he said politely. " I do hope we'll meet again sometimes. "

He walked away, the dog nipping at his heels and occasionally looking back at the stunned men, yipping mournfully as if he was leaving behind two good friends. As they both disappeared between the trees at the next curve of the trail, Arthur shuffled awkwardly on the cold stone, Merlin clearing his throat beside him. One single look between them, however, was enough for them to lose it : they burst out laughing, Arthur clutching at his chest as Merlin fell back in a heap next to him, tears streaming down his cheeks.

" He thought... " he blurted out, hiccuping. " He thought we were..."

" By the gods that was awkward, " Arthur mused, relishing in their shared hilarity, the quirk of his eyebrow sending Merlin back in a raucous fit of laughter.

Once they'd calmed down a bit, joyful sounds receding, they exchanged one look and nodded in unison :

" Let's go then, " Arthur said, sliding to the edge of the cliff and turning on his belly to secure his first step. " You alright to climb down ? " he asked belatedly, when he noticed Merlin casting uncertain glances in his direction.

" Not really, " the brunet admitted, shrugging a shoulder as he brushed a hand over his head to hide his discomfort. " A bit afraid of height and all that. "

" It's alright, " Arthur soothed, cursing himself for not having figured it out earlier. It wasn't as if the other man had seemed overly against the ascension, but still, they'd been pursued by a demonic beast at the time. " You'll be facing the cliff, so all you have to do is not look down. Focus on your hands, I'll be right under you. "

" Could you, uh, " Merlin started, unsure as he chanced a glance downward. " Could you perhaps guide my feet ? I've never done that before, climbing I mean, and I wouldn't want..."

" Sure, " Arthur agreed, nodding calmly. " Come on. "

They carefully returned to the main path, Arthur making sure the other runner didn't fall backwards, securing each of his step with a gentle hand. Merlin smiled his thanks once they were both on safe ground, and with a slight nod of Arthur's chin, they started running again, but this time side by side and at a much more reasonable pace.

On the way down the hill, their gentle rhythm and careful strides allowed them to maintain an idle chatter, mercifully undisturbed by other runners or dogs eager for a treat. For once, Arthur didn't mind having some company : it was a nice change from his usually quiet work out, and besides, Merlin was sufficiently entertaining once he'd gotten started on a subject.

As such, Arthur learned that Merlin was new to the city, and would be attending the same university as Arthur. He was currently looking for a flatmate, and Arthur mentioned in passing that one of his friends did too. Merlin nearly choked on thin air when Arthur detailed his running schedule - _Once a day ? Are you mad ?_ \- and noted that he dearly liked running, but not nearly as much as Arthur.

Also, Arthur learned as they neared the end of the path, Merlin appeared to be some country bumpkin who never opened a newspaper or even owned a TV, since he didn't know who the Pendragons were - and Arthur was very glad of the fact. It was refreshing, really, even if he doubted Merlin's behavior would have been any different if he'd known who he was.

They reached the parking down the hill far sooner than Arthur would have liked, as he was rather enjoying the easy banter Merlin and him had fallen into. He didn't want to let go of the man quite yet, but he didn't really know how to formulate his wish. They stretched their muscles in awkward silence, carefully avoiding looking at each other, and stood beside each other once they were done, grinning uneasily.

" So, " Arthur finally started, gathering his courage. " I was wondering, since you're new and all..."

" Yes ? " Merlin replied, unable to mask the hopeful tilt of his voice.

" I'm going out with a few friends tonight, " Arthur offered with practiced aloofness. " And, well, I thought you might like to come ? "

Merlin's anticipatory expression morphed in a brilliant, brilliant smile as he nodded enthusiastically :

" Yeah, sure, " he replied, still grinning. " I'd love to. "

" Alright then, " Arthur said. " Here, hold on..."

He walked over to his car, which was parked a few yards away, and unlocked it before rummaging in his glove compartment, extracting a rather sad looking pen and a stained piece of paper. He quickly wrote down his number and handed it to Merlin, who'd gingerly followed him.

" Text me your number, " Arthur prompted, " I'll send you the details for tonight. "

Merlin nodded :

" I will " he promised.

He stood to the side as Arthur entered his car, turning on the ignition and opening his window :

" See you later then ? " the blond asked with a smile.

" Definitely, " Merlin replied. " Bye, Arthur. "

Arthur waved at him as he drove away, Merlin's tall figure receding in his rearview mirror until the car reached the road. When Merlin finally disappeared out of his sight, there was a smile on Arthur's lips, and he felt lighter than he had in weeks. His phone buzzed in his pocket a minute later, and it took all of Arthur's willpower to wait until he got home to open the text :

_Hi :) It's Merlin_

Smiling still, Arthur tapped a quick reply :

_Eight sharp at The Rising Sun. It's a pub facing the west entrance of the campus, you'll find it in no time. Looking forward to see you._

He pressed the Send button and hesitated for a few seconds before adding :

_By the way, my sister might be here tonight. Do not, under any circumstances, mention what happened with the dog. Not ever. Not if you value your sanity. She'd never let us live it down._

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading ! Tell me what you think :)


End file.
